Surgical Site Bacterial Infection in a General Hospital, Al-Jouf Region, Saudi Arabia: A Retrospective Study

Background Surgical site infection (SSI) is a major healthcare problem with a great impact on patient morbidity, mortality, and healthcare cost all over the world. It accounts for 20% of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), with higher frequency in low-and middle-income countries where it affects about 30% of the patients undergoing surgery.Aim The current study aims to assess the prevalence of SSI in a general hospital in Sakaka, Al-Jouf region, Saudi Arabia. The types of bacteria causing SSI were also determined.Subjects and methods A retrospective cross-sectional study was done by reviewing the hospital records of patients who got SSI during the period between 2020 and 2022. Data collection was done during 2022 and 2023 after taking ethical approval and permission from the hospital management.Results The number of patients who underwent surgical procedures during 2020, 2021, and 2022 were 689, 867, and 1119, respectively. Most of the cases were cholecystectomy and appendectomy. The cases that developed surgical site infection after cholecystectomy and/or appendectomy during 2021 and 2022 were 15.45% and 9.29% cases, respectively, and they were mainly associated with appendectomy. A culture and sensitivity test revealed methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Klebsiella pneumonia. Nearly all patients have received ciprofloxacin for seven days and improved with treatment.Conclusion The number of cases that developed SSI has decreased gradually due to the application of infection control measures and strict follow-up.